Sugar is generally useful as a natural sweetener of food, which we usually know on any day. The most commonly used ones are the sugar cane, granulated sugar and the benefits of brown sugar but there are many other types of natural sugars that are useful as food sweeteners including corn sugar and palm sugar.
Well on this occasion, we would like to introduce palm sugar to those of you who like to make food creations and cakes since it has a fragrant aroma and is quite typical for lovers of palm sugar.
In general, palm sugar is a crystal sugar made from a liquid that is obtained via the extraction process of a palm. After it, it’s cooked until it evaporates its moisture content and is crystallized and then pureed into sugar granules.
At a first glance, it looks like granulated sugar but the color is rather brownish and has a fragrant aroma in the appeal of granulated sugar, so that palm sugar is widely used to make cakes and food toppings. Just similar to the benefits of Panela sugar. Â
In addition, palm sugar turns out to contain more substances that are good for the body such as iron, calcium, magnesium, protein, vitamin A and vitamin B1, and there is even a good content of mineral salts for our body. In America and Europe, palm sugar is called Coconut Palm Sugar.
In addition to its delicious taste if used to make cakes, it turns out that palm sugar is also very much useful for health. Palm sugar contains a high enough sucrose content that reaches 70% and there is 10% content of inverse sugar that is a mixture of glucose and fructose.
Coconut palm sugar also contains protein and some other minerals , such as phosphorus, copper, calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, iron, zinc, and manganese. It’s a fact that palm sugar can be said to have a complete content of nutrients, so it has considerable benefits for the health of the human body, such as :
Health Benefits of Coconut Palm Sugar
1. Contains Inulin
Coconut palm sugar contains inulin, a fermented fiber capable of killing many bacteria. Inulin is a natural polymer carbohydrate group that is good for the digestive system.
If your stomach is feeling bad or digestion is not smooth, palm sugar mixed with warm water can be used as an intestinal cleansing liquid. In addition, inulin also serves as a controller of sugar levels in the blood for people with type two diabetes. When it gets to the colon, inulin is used as food for good bacteria, serving a similar benefit with the benefits of black sugar.
2. Contains Good Amount of Potassium
Potassium or potassium is one of the essential mineral substances so that organs such as the heart or kidneys can function normally. Our body can not produce potassium itself so to meet the intake of this mineral can be obtained by consuming types of food, such as beans, potatoes, and broccolis.
Aside from food, in hypokalemia or conditions where potassium levels are below normal, potassium supplements are needed in addition to potassium. Hypokalemia can be caused by excessive physical activity, damage to the kidneys or adrenal glands, suffering from diarrhea or Crohn’s disease, persistent vomiting, the consumption of diuretic drugs that make the frequency of urination increase, smoking, and alcohol addiction.
Fortunately, Potassium is the main nutrient found in coconut palm sugar. A teaspoon of palm sugar contains potassium that can meet 1 percent of a person’s daily needs, which is not similar to the benefits of Demerara sugar.
Potassium is a very important and beneficial electrolyte to maintain digestive function, regulate fluid balance, muscle contraction, and nerve signals. Adequate daily potassium needs can help reduce high blood pressure, lower the risk of stroke, and prevent osteoporosis as well as kidney stones.
3. Can be a Good Energy Source
Every human body must need glucose because this element still belongs to a simple type of monosaccharides that not only humans but also other mammals have.
Glucose itself is a word originally from the Greek glukus where the meaning is sweet. Dextrose is another name for glucose and indeed its original taste is sweet.
The body needs glucose because glucose can be used as a source of metabolic intermediates that also act as an energy source. Due to the presence of photosynthesis processes that occur, glucose is created and this is the reason why cellular respiration fuels use glucose.
Glucose can also be called sugar and glucose in our body comes from all sources of food that we enjoy every day, but there are still many people who are still a bit confused about the difference between the natural and refined ones.
Natural sugars can always be obtained from foodstuffs, such as vegetables and fruits and this is the healthiest type of sugar and safe to consume. As for refined sugars, this type is a type that is added to drinks or foods.
Similar to the benefits of German rock sugar, within coconut palm sugar there is also a carbohydrate content that is a source of energy which can make the body to function more properly.
4. Rich in Phytonutrients
Coconut palm sugar is also rich in phytonutrients or nutrients from plants that bring many benefits. Phytonutrients such as anthocyanidin, polyphenols, and other similar nutrients have antioxidant benefits that can ward off free radicals and protect the body from various diseases.
5. Contains High Antioxidants
It turns out that coconut palm sugar is high in antioxidants so it can improve skin health. Antioxidants also have an important role in killing free radical tissue in the body. This tissue if left untreated will develop into a tumor or cancer.